20 fun and unique things to do in Charleston

Whether you're looking for cool things to do or historical sights, Charleston has plenty to offer. This cultural mecca is home to some fine coastal excursions and active adventures for the whole family to enjoy. You can learn to paddleboard, kayak, and surf or simply relax as you cruise around Charleston.

From culinary tours to spooky ghost walks and wildlife-watching trips, add some fun to your Charleston trip. This list contains everything you need to know to turn your romantic, solo, or family trip into a vacation you won't forget.

Fun things to do in Charleston as a couple

1. Head out to Folly Beach on a stand-up paddleboard

Get a crash course in stand-up paddleboarding at one of Charleston's most scenic beach destinations. Folly Beach is an easy-going spot with gentle river paddling in turtle, ray, and dolphin-filled waters.

Highlights:

Take the Folly Beach Stand Up Paddleboard Dolphin Safari to learn the basics of paddleboarding alongside bottlenose dolphins. Glide along gentle riverways with romantic views across the waterfront.

Address and opening hours:

87 Center St, Folly Beach, SC 29439, USA. Tour dates vary with start times from 9:00 AM.

2. Cruise Charleston Harbor for dinner at sunset

View the Charleston skyline with a romantic dinner aboard a harbor cruise boat. You'll get sunset vistas of the historic Battery, Ravenel Bridge, and Fort Sumter.

Highlights:

The Luxury Harbor Dinner Cruise takes you out into Charleston Harbor with live onboard music. Dine on a three-course menu with seasonal South Carolina ingredients and a full-service bar.

Address and opening hours:

40 Patriots Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464, USA. Tour dates vary, departing at 7:00 PM.

3. Enjoy a couple's walk through Boone Hall's Avenue of Oaks

The lead-up to the historic Boone Hall plantation goes through a beautiful archway of oak tree branches. Perfect as the backdrop to a couple's photograph, the rest of Boone Hall also provides romantic, floral trails to walk hand-in-hand.

Highlights:

Book a Boone Hall Plantation: Admission & Day Trip from Charleston for air-conditioned transport from the city to Boone Hall. You can explore the Avenue of Oaks together before touring Boone Hall's centuries-old interiors and bucolic gardens.

Address and opening hours:

1235 Long Point Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464, United States. Boone Hall is open Monday-Saturday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM, and Sunday, 12:00 PM-5:00 PM. Tours depart Charleston daily at 11:15 AM.

4. Design your own fragrance at a perfumer on King Street

Craft a delightful celebration of your trip to Charleston with a custom fragrance from an iconic local perfumer. Tijon is located in Charleston's bustling French Quarter and offers a brilliant session in perfume making.

Highlights:

Your Custom Perfume or Cologne Making Experience lets you create a 55 ml bottle of fragrance from some 300 hand-selected oils. Based around 12 pre-mixed base blends, you'll create a couple's pair of fragrances to take home.

Address and opening hours:

348 King St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA. Times and dates vary.

5. Enjoy a sunset date night by e-bike

Follow the sunset with an e-bike rental complete with a picnic basket and utensils. Follow the shoreline of Mount Pleasant to Goldbug Island or Sullivan's Island, home to spectacular shoreline views.

Highlights:

An E-bike Sunset Ride with Pre-packed Picnic Ticket sets you off right for a romantic evening. Enjoy a picnic with cheese or charcuterie with a Bluetooth speaker for gentle beats by the coast.

Address and opening hours:

1470 Ben Sawyer Blvd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464, USA. Daily pick-up for departures at 5:00 PM.

Fun things to do in Charleston with kids

6. Set sail on a dolphin-watching adventure

Charleston Harbor and Folly Island are popular spots to see Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Animal-loving children will love spotting these playful creatures as they dart and chase the wake of your boat.

Highlights:

The Guided Dolphin Boat Tour in Folly Beach ferries families around the waters and riverways south of Charleston.

Address and opening hours:

87 Center St, Folly Beach, SC 29439, USA. Tour times and dates vary.

7. Run wild at Magnolia Plantation

This grand 500-acre plantation was founded in 1676. Aside from its historic main estate, the grounds boast petting zoos, boggy boardwalk trails, and a nature trail to excite the little ones.

Highlights:

Book a Magnolia Plantation Tour and Transport for travel from Charleston to America's oldest public garden. Set your little ones on a wildlife-watching adventure, spotting alligators, turtles, and snakes in the lakes.

Address and opening hours:

Charleston, SC 29414, United States. Tour dates vary, departing from Charleston Visitor Center at 9:30 AM.

8. Take a horse-drawn carriage tour of Charleston

Transport yourselves back in time as you board a beautiful horse-drawn carriage. This is among the best first-time things to do in the city, offering a magical experience and orientation of Charleston's cobblestone center.

Highlights:

Book a Historical Downtown Tour by Horse-drawn Carriage to visit classic sights like Charleston Harbor, Charleston Battery, and the Old City Market. Kids will love the well-groomed and cared-for draft horses.

Address and opening hours:

14 Anson St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA. Tours are available daily from 9:00 AM.

9. See where the city was settled at Charles Towne Landing State Park

The English settled Charles Towne Landing in 1670 for its protected, riverfront location. Now a state park, the area is a treat for families, with pilgrim playgrounds, leafy trails, and replica settler ships.

Highlights:

Get entry to this historic state park, among other must-visit Charleston tourist sites, with a Tour Pass with 40+ Attractions. Picnics and rental bikes are the perfect way to explore Charles Towne Landing State Park.

Address and opening hours:

1500 Old Towne Rd, Charleston, SC 29407, United States. Open daily, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM.

10. Explore the canons and ramparts of Fort Sumter

History buffs will want to explore this fort that kicked off the Civil War's first battle. Located on an island in the middle of Charleston Harbor, it's a fun ferry adventure simply getting there.

Highlights:

With a Fort Sumter Entry Ticket and Ferry Ride, you have everything you need for a family excursion to the island fort. Once there, your kids can explore the remaining cannons and gun holes overlooking the scenic harbor.

Address and opening hours:

South Carolina 29412, United States. Open daily, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. Ferries depart from Liberty Square or Patriot's Point.

Fun things to do in Charleston on your own

11. Go stall hopping at Charleston City Market

Occupying a scenic open-air building in the heart of Downtown Charleston, the City Market has been attracting busy buyers since 1804. There's a great mix of typical tourist stalls, local artisan goods, and South Carolina street food.

Highlights:

This is the perfect place to browse on your own and pick up some souvenirs. Its night market is geared more towards arts and crafts for those looking for something special.

Address and opening hours:

188 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401, United States. Open daily, 9:30 AM-5:30 PM. Night market every Friday and Saturday, 6:30 PM-10:30 PM.

12. Join a historic walking tour

Just because you're on your own doesn't mean you can't enjoy a group guided tour. Get insight into the history of Charleston while visiting its major landmarks with an expert guide.

Highlights:

The Historical Walking Tour is a fine introduction to Downtown Charleston. You'll hear engaging stories of Charleston's local legends over the course of a 2-hour guided tour.

Address and opening hours:

108 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA. Tours are available daily at 10:00 AM and 2:30 PM.

13. Get a sense of local history at the Charleston Museum

The Charleston Museum is one of the USA's oldest museums. It is packed with artifacts from the colonial and Civil War periods. It was founded in 1773 and remains a beacon for the city's heritage, history, and culture.

Highlights:

Book the City Tour and Museum Combo package for entry into the museum and tour of Charleston by bus. Museum highlights include exhibits on America's turbulent wars and the lives of Lowcountry colonists and slaves.

Address and opening hours:

360 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29403, United States. Open Monday-Saturday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM, and Sunday, 12:00 PM-5:00 PM.

14. Go on a monthly art walk

Charleston Gallery Association organizes a walk of the city's galleries and openings on the first Friday of every month. If you're lucky enough to arrive for one of these walks, it's a fun and friendly thing to do solo as you can speak to artists and enthusiasts

Highlights:

The Art Walk get you up-close to Charleston's latest artsy happenings. You may well end up returning home with a piece for your wall.

Address and opening hours:

Locations vary. Art Walks every first Friday of the month, 5:00 PM-8:00 PM.

15. Remember Charleston's shameful past at the Old Slave Mart

Charleston was once a major slaving center, and it holds many memorials of this shameful past. None are more affecting than the Old Slave Mart, the open-air market where Africans were processed, bartered, and sold.

Highlights:

Join the African-American History Guided Walking Tour to put Charleston's slaving history in context. You'll visit harrowing sites like the Old Slave Mart and hear stories of perseverance and pioneers.

Address and opening hours:

6 Chalmers St, Charleston, SC 29401, United States. Open Monday-Saturday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM. Closed on Sundays.

Fun things to do in Charleston if you like food and drink

16. Chow down on a secret food tour

Enjoy finger-licking South Carolina flavors on a tour of Charleston's favorite local eateries and hidden gems. Stroll through its best markets and vendors, and enjoy dishes at hand-picked restaurants.

Highlights:

The 3-Hour Secret Food Tour is an excellent introduction to Charleston's food scene. You'll savor local dishes like fried oysters, green tomatoes, and grits while learning the history and culture behind them.

Address and opening hours:

99 S Market St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA. Tour times and dates vary.

17. Go on a pub crawl with stories of Charleston's Prohibition-era speakeasies

Sip a cocktail and sample your way through Charleston's drinking scene while hearing about its tumultuous past. Learn of Prohibition-era workarounds and local legends of the illicit alcohol trade.

Highlights:

The Speakeasy Sagas Prohibition Pub Crawl heads through Downtown Charleston with tales of the 1920s. You'll hear all about the fascinating history of Prohibition while enjoying a well-made cocktail.

Address and opening hours:

200 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA. Tours are available daily, starting at 4:00 PM.

18. Tour the USA's only large-scale tea garden

The Charleston Tea Garden is the country's only large-scale tea plantation. Tour its scenic grounds, visit the factory, and relax with a fine cup of tea in the sunshine.

Highlights:

Charleston's Wadmalow Island is blessed by just the right climate for both tea and wine production. Head on a Wadmalaw Island Day Trip with Wine Tasting at Deep Water Vineyard with a visit to the Charleston Tea Garden.

Address and opening hours:

6617 Maybank Hwy, Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487, United States. Gardens are open daily, 10:00 AM-4:00 PM, and from noon on Sunday. Tour times and dates vary, with departures from Charleston Visitors Center.

19. Get some boos with your booze with a ghost tour

Tour Downtown Charleston's historic French Quarter on a ghost tour. You'll stop at several bars en-route with spine-tingling tales of Charleston's past.

Highlights:

The Boo-Hag and Brews Haunted Bar Hop is one of a kind. Visit graveyards, execution sites, and centuries-old homes for ghostly tales as you meander between pubs.

Address and opening hours:

160 Church St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA. Tour dates vary, starting at 8:00 PM.

20. Head out of the city for a Lowcountry lunch

The Lowcountry consists of the marshy, low-lying sea islands that surround Charleston. Its cuisine is marked by its local produce and culture, from creamy she-crab soup and hearty gumbo stew to crowd-pleasing pecan pie.

Highlights:

Book the Middleton Place Excursion & Low Country Cuisine for a tour of one of the region's finest country estates. Follow this up with a traditional Lowcountry lunch full of mouth-watering South Carolina flavors.

Address and opening hours:

23 Ann St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA. Tour times and dates vary.

FAQs

What are some fun things to do in Charleston at night?

As a city bubbling with a dark history, ghost tours are a great way to hear about Charleston's tumultuous past. For romantic and relaxing excursions, head out on a cruise for sunset views of Charleston Harbor.

Are there any fun day trips from Charleston that I should consider?

Charleston is surrounded by coastal excursions and scenic plantations. You can take a day trip to Kiawah Island or Myrtle Beach for pale, sandy shorelines and relaxing picnics. For plantation history, Boone Hall, Magnolia Plantation, and Drayton Hall all provide fine days out with sprawling gardens and ornate, period-furnished interiors.

What are some popular festivals or events in Charleston?

Charleston's festival calendar is packed throughout the year. Popular events include the Lowcountry Oyster Festival in January, perfect for any seafood lover. Spoleto Festival every May boasts jazzy performances and art. July sees epic July Fourth Fireworks and the charming Sweetgrass Festival.

What are some family-friendly fun activities to do in Charleston?

When it comes to exciting family fun, it doesn't get more thrilling than a dolphin-watching cruise. Stop at Folly Beach to comb for fossils and shark teeth, or head to the Isle of Palms for family-friendly beach sports.

What are some fun outdoor activities to do in Charleston?

Charleston's beaches and marshy swamps provide hours of fun. You can learn to paddle board at scenic Folly Island or kayak along the winding waterways of Sham Creek. For the full swamp experience, Magnolia Plantation's Audubon Swamp Garden is a fine place to spot alligators and snakes in the wild.